Parrott Installed as Foss CEO

By Mark Edward Nero

John Parrott has assumed the role of President and CEO of Foss Maritime. The company states that he took over on Jan. 1, following a four-month transition Foss announced in July 2016. Parrott joined Foss in January 2016 as Chief Operating Officer; in August 2016 he assumed the role of President from retiring President and CEO Paul Stevens.

“It’s a great honor to lead Foss and work with the talented and dedicated maritime professionals that make it such an amazing company,” Parrott said in a statement. “We have an exciting road ahead of us.”

As COO, Parrott completed a “listening tour” in early 2016, which included visiting Foss employees at work throughout the company. He visited with mariners on workboats in the Gulf of Alaska, California, Hawaii and Washington and craftspeople building and repairing ships at Foss’ Seattle and Rainier, Oregon shipyards.

Foss has stated that Parrot begins 2017 with a focus on enhancing communication and efficiency within the 127-year-old company. “We’re fortunate to have such experienced maritime professionals and leaders within our companies,” said Tim Engle, President of Foss’ parent company, Saltchuk. “I am truly excited to see John lead Foss as it continues to innovate and deliver on its promise of safe, reliable service to our customers.”

Upon retirement from Foss, Stevens transitioned to a new role at Saltchuk’s corporate home office. As Senior Vice President and Managing Director, he’s expected to support various strategic initiatives currently underway and help support Saltchuk’s growth activities.

Foss Maritime Names New President

By Mark Edward Nero

Seattle-based Foss Maritime Co. announced June 17 that Chief Operating Officer John Parrott will take over the role of company president, assuming responsibility for day-to-day operations as of Aug. 1.

Parrott came to Foss as COO in January 2016 from sister company TOTE Maritime. He takes the helm of the company with over 28 years of maritime experience, both at sea and ashore.

“Foss is an incredibly dynamic company,” Parrott said. “We are building on more than 125 years of safe, innovative service, and we have an exciting road ahead.”

Current President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Stevens is expected to remain CEO of Foss through 2016 and then move to Foss parent company Saltchuk to serve as Senior Vice President and Managing Director.

“I’m happy to turn over the company to someone that not only has an extensive maritime background, but has also earned the respect of our owner group at Saltchuk through his contributions at TOTE Maritime,” Stevens said.

In his new role at Saltchuk, Stevens will support various strategic initiatives currently underway and will help support Saltchuk’s growth activities, the company said.

“Paul has led Foss through an incredible period of growth and has served as a capable leader within our company for more than 13 years,” Saltchuk President Tim Engle said. “We are grateful that we will continue to have Paul’s leadership and expertise serving the entire Saltchuk family of companies.”

NASSCO Delivers 2nd LNG Containership

By Mark Edward Nero

On Jan. 22, San Diego-based General Dynamics NASSCO delivered the world’s second containership to be operated by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Perla Del Caribe, for TOTE Maritime.

The ship was delivered two months ahead of schedule and is the sister ship of the world’s first LNG-powered containership, the Isla Bella, also built for TOTE by NASSCO.

As part of a two-ship contract signed in December 2012 with TOTE, the 764-foot long Marlin Class containerships will be among the largest dry cargo ships powered by LNG, making them among the cleanest cargo-carrying ships in the world.

The green ship technology dramatically decreases emissions and increases fuel efficiency when compared to conventionally-powered ships, the equivalent of removing nearly 16,000 automobiles from the road.

“The Perla Del Caribe and the Isla Bella exemplify world-leading, innovative technologies being used to build ocean-going ships that are cost-effective, friendly to the environment and offer a competitive edge,” General Dynamics NASSCO Vice President and General Manager Kevin Graney said.

The Isla Bella was delivered to TOTE in October 2015, and has been operating between Jacksonville, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

NASSCO specializes in the design and construction of auxiliary and support ships for the US Navy and oil tankers and dry cargo carriers for commercial markets. It is also a major provider of repair services for the Navy, with capabilities in San Diego, California; Norfolk, Virginia; Bremerton, Washington; and Mayport, Florida.

Although its primary focus is government new construction, NASSCO also engages in commercial shipbuilding. Since 2005, NASSCO has delivered twelve commercial ships and currently has seven commercial ships scheduled to be delivered between 2016 and 2017.

Its San Diego location is the only major shipyard on the West Coast conducting new construction and repair.

TOTE Cargo Ship Loses, Regains Power

By Mark Edward Nero

A TOTE Maritime cargo ship that lost power and went adrift about 50 miles off the coast of British Columbia in late November is now back underway.

The US-flagged M/V North Star lost power the morning of Nov. 24 while en route to BC from Anchorage, Alaska. However, after spending much of the day working on the problem, crew members managed to fix the issues by 10 pm the same day, and the vessel was able to resume its voyage under its own power without aid from the Canadian Coast Guard, which had been dispatched to the cargo ship.

The 839-foot ro/ro M/V North Star is a former fleet mate of the 790-foot container carrier El Faro, which sank Oct. 1 when its propulsion system failed as it encountered hurricane-force winds and waves east of the Bahamas. A total of 33 crewmembers were killed.

The 15-year-old M/V North Star is one of two US-flagged, Orca-class roll-on/roll-off cargo ships operated by TOTE Maritime Alaska. It serves the Jones Act Tacoma, Washington to Anchorage, Alaska route.

In late 2013, TOTE signed a contract with Finnish corporation Wärtsilä for the conversion of the M/V North Star and its sister ship, the Midnight Sun, to run on LNG. The conversions, expected to be among the largest ever undertaken in North America, have been delayed at least a year due to the El Faro incident, TOTE Maritime President John Parrott said in November.

TOTE Delaying LNG Vessel Conversions

By Mark Edward Nero

TOTE Maritime says its delaying its conversion of two Tacoma-based ships to liquefied natural gas-fueled propulsion due to the loss of the 790-foot container ship El Faro on Oct. 1 during a voyage to Puerto Rico from Florida.

El Faro had been scheduled to move to Tacoma from Florida later this month to replace one of two Tote Maritime Alaska ships that sails between Tacoma and Anchorage. That vessel, the ORCA class Midnight Sun, had been scheduled to head to Singapore-based Keppel Shipyard for a four-month conversion of its propulsion system from oil to LNG.

The planned conversion, if it eventually moves forward, would be one of the world’s first major transformations of a large roll on/roll off vessel to LNG, according to Totem Ocean.

TOTE Maritime President John Parrott recently informed the media that without a ship to replace the Midnight Sun, TOTE is forced to delay the conversion by a year.

El Faro, previously known as the Northern Lights, served the Alaska route until 2006 when it was transferred to Florida to serve TOTE Maritime Alaska’s sister company, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico.

The 40-year-old El Faro sank Oct. 1 when its propulsion system failed as it encountered hurricane-force winds and waves east of the Bahamas. A total of 33 crew members were killed.

El Faro has already been replaced on the Puerto Rico run by the Isla Bella, the first of two new LNG-fueled containerships built for TOTE by NASSCO San Diego.

Totem Ocean Trailer Express Unifies Brand Names

By Mark Edward Nero

Totem Ocean Trailer Express on Sept. 17 announced a shift within its operating companies. Sea Star Line, which serves Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and Totem Ocean Trailer Express, serving the Alaska market, will now be known collectively as TOTE Maritime.

Both companies provide infrastructure and cargo to Alaska and Puerto Rico and are market leaders. Sea Star Line has delivered goods to Puerto Rico for more than 30 years with twice-weekly reliable service that is responsible for goods traveling from the US to the island.

Totem Ocean Trailer Express also provides twice-weekly service to Alaska and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

“This is an exciting time, not just for our company but for the industry as a whole,” Totem Ocean Trailer Express President John Parrott said.

Both companies are switching their vessels to run on natural gas: Totem Ocean is expected to begin the conversion of its first ship to natural gas later this fall.

“This is a key component of the TOTE LNG strategy and is a reflection of our commitment to the island and the communities we serve,” Sea Star Line President Tim Nolan said. “The shift to TOTE Maritime enables us to highlight the changes we are making nationally.”

TOTE Maritime is part of the TOTE family of companies, which also includes TOTE Services, a leading-edge ship management company that specializes in natural gas projects and technical services for both government and commercial vessels.